diff --git a/src-ui/src/app/components/manage/ocr-templates/ocr-template-editor/ocr-template-editor.component.html b/src-ui/src/app/components/manage/ocr-templates/ocr-template-editor/ocr-template-editor.component.html
index e94375dc6..e6b7bcc50 100644
--- a/src-ui/src/app/components/manage/ocr-templates/ocr-template-editor/ocr-template-editor.component.html
+++ b/src-ui/src/app/components/manage/ocr-templates/ocr-template-editor/ocr-template-editor.component.html
@@ -176,53 +176,43 @@
     </div>
 
     <div class="col-lg-8">
-      <div class="d-flex flex-wrap align-items-center gap-2 mb-2" role="toolbar" aria-label="Document preview" i18n-aria-label>
-        <div class="flex-grow-1">
-          <label class="visually-hidden" for="preview-document" i18n>Sample document</label>
-          <div class="input-group input-group-sm">
-            <span class="input-group-text">
-              @if (searchStatus() === 'loading') {
-                <span class="spinner-border spinner-border-sm" role="status"><span class="visually-hidden" i18n>Searching...</span></span>
-              } @else {
-                <i-bs name="file-text"></i-bs>
-              }
-            </span>
-            <input
-              id="preview-document"
-              type="text"
-              class="form-control"
-              [(ngModel)]="previewDocModel"
-              [ngbTypeahead]="searchDocuments"
-              #documentSearch="ngbTypeahead"
-              [inputFormatter]="documentFormatter"
-              [resultFormatter]="documentFormatter"
-              [resultTemplate]="documentResult"
-              (input)="searchStatus.set('idle')"
-              (selectItem)="onPreviewDocSelected($event)"
-              [editable]="false"
-              container="body"
-              popupClass="ocr-template-document-results col-11 col-md-6 overflow-y-auto"
-              placeholder="Search for a sample document..."
-              i18n-placeholder
-            />
-            @if (previewDocId) {
-              <button type="button" class="btn btn-outline-secondary" (click)="clearPreviewDoc(); documentSearch.dismissPopup()" title="Clear sample document" i18n-title aria-label="Clear sample document" i18n-aria-label>
-                <i-bs name="x"></i-bs>
-              </button>
+      <div class="mb-2">
+        <label class="visually-hidden" for="preview-document" i18n>Sample document</label>
+        <div class="input-group input-group-sm">
+          <span class="input-group-text">
+            @if (searchStatus() === 'loading') {
+              <span class="spinner-border spinner-border-sm" role="status"><span class="visually-hidden" i18n>Searching...</span></span>
+            } @else {
+              <i-bs name="file-text"></i-bs>
             }
-          </div>
-          <ng-template #documentResult let-document="result">
-            <span class="d-block text-wrap text-break">{{ documentFormatter(document) }}</span>
-          </ng-template>
-        </div>
-        <div class="btn-group btn-group-sm text-nowrap" role="group" aria-label="Editing mode" i18n-aria-label>
-          <button type="button" class="btn btn-outline-primary" [class.active]="overlayMode === 'select'" [attr.aria-pressed]="overlayMode === 'select'" [disabled]="!imageLoaded" (click)="setOverlayMode('select')" title="Select and move zones" i18n-title>
-            <i-bs name="cursor" class="me-1"></i-bs><span i18n>Select</span>
-          </button>
-          <button type="button" class="btn btn-outline-primary" [class.active]="overlayMode === 'draw'" [attr.aria-pressed]="overlayMode === 'draw'" [disabled]="!imageLoaded" (click)="setOverlayMode('draw')" title="Draw a zone" i18n-title>
-            <i-bs name="pencil" class="me-1"></i-bs><span i18n>Draw</span>
-          </button>
+          </span>
+          <input
+            id="preview-document"
+            type="text"
+            class="form-control"
+            [(ngModel)]="previewDocModel"
+            [ngbTypeahead]="searchDocuments"
+            #documentSearch="ngbTypeahead"
+            [inputFormatter]="documentFormatter"
+            [resultFormatter]="documentFormatter"
+            [resultTemplate]="documentResult"
+            (input)="searchStatus.set('idle')"
+            (selectItem)="onPreviewDocSelected($event)"
+            [editable]="false"
+            container="body"
+            popupClass="ocr-template-document-results col-11 col-md-6 overflow-y-auto"
+            placeholder="Search for a sample document..."
+            i18n-placeholder
+          />
+          @if (previewDocId) {
+            <button type="button" class="btn btn-outline-secondary" (click)="clearPreviewDoc(); documentSearch.dismissPopup()" title="Clear sample document" i18n-title aria-label="Clear sample document" i18n-aria-label>
+              <i-bs name="x"></i-bs>
+            </button>
+          }
         </div>
+        <ng-template #documentResult let-document="result">
+          <span class="d-block text-wrap text-break">{{ documentFormatter(document) }}</span>
+        </ng-template>
       </div>
       @if (searchStatus() === 'empty' || searchStatus() === 'error') {
         <div class="small mb-2" role="status" [class.text-danger]="searchStatus() === 'error'" [class.text-muted]="searchStatus() === 'empty'">
@@ -258,7 +248,6 @@
                 <svg
                   #zoneOverlay
                   class="zone-overlay position-absolute top-0 start-0 w-100 h-100"
-                  [class.zone-overlay-drawing]="overlayMode === 'draw'"
                   [attr.viewBox]="overlayViewBox()"
                   preserveAspectRatio="none"
                   [style.cursor]="overlayCursor"
@@ -289,7 +278,7 @@
                           [attr.fill]="zoneColor(i)"
                         >{{ zoneLabel(zone, i) }}</text>
 
-                        @if (selectedZoneIndex === i && overlayMode === 'select') {
+                        @if (selectedZoneIndex === i) {
                           @for (handle of resizeHandles(rect); track handle.handle) {
                             <rect
                               class="zone-resize-handle"
diff --git a/src-ui/src/app/components/manage/ocr-templates/ocr-template-editor/ocr-template-editor.component.scss b/src-ui/src/app/components/manage/ocr-templates/ocr-template-editor/ocr-template-editor.component.scss
index f2441f5f4..51bc226de 100644
--- a/src-ui/src/app/components/manage/ocr-templates/ocr-template-editor/ocr-template-editor.component.scss
+++ b/src-ui/src/app/components/manage/ocr-templates/ocr-template-editor/ocr-template-editor.component.scss
@@ -20,12 +20,6 @@
 }
 
 .zone-overlay {
-  touch-action: pan-x pan-y;
-}
-
-.zone-overlay-drawing,
-.zone-rect,
-.zone-resize-handle {
   touch-action: none;
 }
 
diff --git a/src-ui/src/app/components/manage/ocr-templates/ocr-template-editor/ocr-template-editor.component.spec.ts b/src-ui/src/app/components/manage/ocr-templates/ocr-template-editor/ocr-template-editor.component.spec.ts
index 04d7abeef..b205ed504 100644
--- a/src-ui/src/app/components/manage/ocr-templates/ocr-template-editor/ocr-template-editor.component.spec.ts
+++ b/src-ui/src/app/components/manage/ocr-templates/ocr-template-editor/ocr-template-editor.component.spec.ts
@@ -171,18 +171,30 @@ describe('OcrTemplateEditorComponent', () => {
     expect(fixture.nativeElement.textContent).toBe('empty')
   })
 
-  it('does not create zones by dragging empty space in Select mode', () => {
+  it('clears the selection on a click in empty space without adding a zone', () => {
     prepareOverlay()
-    component.onOverlayPointerDown(pointer(100, 100))
-    component.onOverlayPointerMove(pointer(300, 200))
-    component.onOverlayPointerUp(pointer(300, 200))
+    component.template.zones = [zone()]
+    component.selectZone(0)
+    component.onOverlayPointerDown(pointer(600, 600))
+    component.onOverlayPointerUp(pointer(602, 601))
 
-    expect(component.template.zones).toEqual([])
+    expect(component.template.zones.length).toBe(1)
+    expect(component.selectedZoneIndex).toBeNull()
   })
 
-  it('draws within the page bounds, uses the release position and returns to Select', () => {
+  it('moves a zone when dragging on it instead of drawing', () => {
+    prepareOverlay()
+    component.template.zones = [zone()]
+    component.onOverlayPointerDown(pointer(150, 150))
+    component.onOverlayPointerUp(pointer(250, 200))
+
+    expect(component.template.zones.length).toBe(1)
+    expect(component.template.zones[0]).toMatchObject({ x: 200, y: 150 })
+    expect(component.selectedZoneIndex).toBe(0)
+  })
+
+  it('draws in empty space within the page bounds, using the release position', () => {
     prepareOverlay()
-    component.setOverlayMode('draw')
     component.onOverlayPointerDown(pointer(100, 100))
     component.onOverlayPointerUp(pointer(1200, 250))
 
@@ -193,12 +205,10 @@ describe('OcrTemplateEditorComponent', () => {
       height: 150,
     })
     expect(component.selectedZoneIndex).toBe(0)
-    expect(component.overlayMode).toBe('select')
   })
 
   it('discards a drawing on Escape and ignores other pointers', () => {
     prepareOverlay()
-    component.setOverlayMode('draw')
     component.onOverlayPointerDown(pointer(100, 100))
     component.onOverlayPointerUp(pointer(300, 200, 2))
     expect(component.drawingRect()).not.toBeNull()
@@ -206,7 +216,6 @@ describe('OcrTemplateEditorComponent', () => {
     component.cancelDrawing()
     component.onOverlayPointerUp(pointer(300, 200))
     expect(component.template.zones).toEqual([])
-    expect(component.overlayMode).toBe('select')
   })
 
   it('opens the zone in the Zones tab and returns to the list', () => {
diff --git a/src-ui/src/app/components/manage/ocr-templates/ocr-template-editor/ocr-template-editor.component.ts b/src-ui/src/app/components/manage/ocr-templates/ocr-template-editor/ocr-template-editor.component.ts
index bf43f4700..75c2d47e3 100644
--- a/src-ui/src/app/components/manage/ocr-templates/ocr-template-editor/ocr-template-editor.component.ts
+++ b/src-ui/src/app/components/manage/ocr-templates/ocr-template-editor/ocr-template-editor.component.ts
@@ -88,7 +88,6 @@ import {
 
 type ActiveTab = 'settings' | 'zones'
 type ZoneFieldSelection = OcrBuiltinTarget | number | null
-type OverlayMode = 'select' | 'draw'
 type OverlayInteraction =
   | { kind: 'idle' }
   | { kind: 'drawing'; pointerId: number; rect: DrawingRect }
@@ -248,8 +247,7 @@ export class OcrTemplateEditorComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
 
   selectedZoneIndex: number | null = null
   private overlayInteraction: OverlayInteraction = NO_OVERLAY_INTERACTION
-  overlayMode: OverlayMode = 'select'
-  overlayCursor = 'default'
+  overlayCursor = 'crosshair'
 
   private readonly zoneTest = signal<ZoneTest | null>(null)
 
@@ -484,15 +482,9 @@ export class OcrTemplateEditorComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
     this.previewError = $localize`Could not load this page.`
   }
 
-  setOverlayMode(mode: OverlayMode) {
-    this.stopOverlayInteraction()
-    this.overlayMode = mode
-    this.overlayCursor = mode === 'draw' ? 'crosshair' : 'default'
-  }
-
   @HostListener('document:keydown.escape')
   cancelDrawing() {
-    this.setOverlayMode('select')
+    this.stopOverlayInteraction()
   }
 
   onOverlayPointerDown(event: PointerEvent) {
@@ -501,23 +493,6 @@ export class OcrTemplateEditorComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
     if (!this.imageLoaded || !point) return
     event.preventDefault()
 
-    if (this.overlayMode === 'draw') {
-      this.clearZoneTest()
-      this.overlayInteraction = {
-        kind: 'drawing',
-        pointerId: event.pointerId,
-        rect: {
-          startX: point.x,
-          startY: point.y,
-          endX: point.x,
-          endY: point.y,
-        },
-      }
-      this.selectedZoneIndex = null
-      this.overlayRef.nativeElement.setPointerCapture(event.pointerId)
-      return
-    }
-
     if (this.selectedZoneIndex !== null) {
       const handle = this.findHandleAt(point, this.selectedZoneIndex)
       if (handle) {
@@ -551,8 +526,21 @@ export class OcrTemplateEditorComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
       return
     }
 
+    // Empty space: start drawing a new zone. A click without a drag just clears
+    // the selection (see onOverlayPointerUp).
     this.clearZoneTest()
     this.selectedZoneIndex = null
+    this.overlayInteraction = {
+      kind: 'drawing',
+      pointerId: event.pointerId,
+      rect: {
+        startX: point.x,
+        startY: point.y,
+        endX: point.x,
+        endY: point.y,
+      },
+    }
+    this.overlayRef.nativeElement.setPointerCapture(event.pointerId)
   }
 
   onOverlayPointerMove(event: PointerEvent) {
@@ -594,10 +582,6 @@ export class OcrTemplateEditorComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
   }
 
   private updateOverlayCursor(point: Point) {
-    if (this.overlayMode === 'draw') {
-      this.overlayCursor = 'crosshair'
-      return
-    }
     if (this.selectedZoneIndex !== null) {
       const handle = this.findHandleAt(point, this.selectedZoneIndex)
       if (handle) {
@@ -605,7 +589,7 @@ export class OcrTemplateEditorComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
         return
       }
     }
-    this.overlayCursor = this.findZoneAt(point) !== null ? 'move' : 'default'
+    this.overlayCursor = this.findZoneAt(point) !== null ? 'move' : 'crosshair'
   }
 
   onOverlayPointerUp(event: PointerEvent) {
@@ -624,7 +608,6 @@ export class OcrTemplateEditorComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
     }
 
     this.template.zones.push(this.createZoneFromRect(rect))
-    this.setOverlayMode('select')
     this.selectZone(this.template.zones.length - 1)
   }
 
@@ -662,7 +645,7 @@ export class OcrTemplateEditorComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
   private stopOverlayInteraction() {
     const interaction = this.overlayInteraction
     this.overlayInteraction = NO_OVERLAY_INTERACTION
-    this.overlayCursor = this.overlayMode === 'draw' ? 'crosshair' : 'default'
+    this.overlayCursor = 'crosshair'
     const overlay = this.overlayRef?.nativeElement
     if (
       interaction.kind !== 'idle' &&